Couples who paid thousands of dollars upfront for wedding photography packages are now trying to recover their money after Korea Artiz Studio abruptly ceased operations in Singapore.
The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said it received 66 complaints against the studio from 14 to 18 August 2026, involving more than S$271,000 in prepayment losses.
Some customers interviewed by CNA and Mothership said they had paid more than S$3,000 in full, with photoshoots still pending when they were told not to visit the studio.
Some Customers Had Paid Their Entire Package Upfront
Ms Lim Ying Xuan, 26, told CNA that she and her fiancé paid S$3,300 for a photoshoot package after winning a cash voucher through a lucky draw.
The voucher could only be redeemed if they paid the full package price that day. After the closure, Ms Lim created a Telegram group for affected customers, which had grown to more than 80 members by Wednesday evening, 19 August.
Ms Glenna Tham, 25, and her fiancé also told CNA that they paid about S$3,200 after winning a cash voucher.
Another customer, identified as Crystal, paid S$3,900 for a package after signing up at a wedding fair in May. Employees informed her through WhatsApp about the situation a week before her planned pre-wedding photoshoot, CNA reported. She subsequently submitted a chargeback request to her bank.
A separate 33-year-old customer told CNA that he had paid S$3,600 in full in July. After the studio stopped operating, he said a salesperson left a WhatsApp group involving studio employees before later telling him that she had not been paid for two months.
He also told CNA that when he checked his invoice afterwards, he noticed that it did not include terms and conditions.
Mothership separately spoke to a groom-to-be identified as Jake, who said he and his partner signed a S$3,269 package on 21 February.
They attended a fitting on 8 August, but on the night of 14 August, one day before their scheduled shoot, they were told not to turn up.
Another couple told Mothership that they had paid S$3,923 in full in May for a photoshoot scheduled for 23 August before receiving a similar notice.
Notice Said Scheduled Shoots Could Not Be Guaranteed
A notice was placed outside Korea Artiz Studio’s premises at Carlton Hotel along Bras Basah Road.
According to the notice reported by CNA and Mothership, employees said there were “internal operational issues” and that they had not received salaries owed to them.
They also said they had been unable to obtain a clear response or further arrangements from the company’s management. As a result, staff said they could not confirm or guarantee that scheduled photography services would go ahead.
Customers were advised not to make a trip to the studio and to look out for updates through its official social media accounts.
The studio did not respond to queries from either CNA or Mothership as of their reports on 19 August.
CASE Has Asked the Studio What Happens to Customers’ Packages
CASE president Melvin Yong said the consumer watchdog had contacted Korea Artiz Studio to ask whether scheduled photography sessions and other services would still proceed.
CASE also asked what remedies would be offered to affected customers if the studio could not provide the services they had already paid for.
According to Mothership, complainants told CASE that they had contacted the studio to request either fulfilment of their packages or refunds, but the business had not responded.
For now, CASE has not announced any blanket refund arrangement for affected customers.
What Consumers Can Do to Protect Themselves
The episode is also a reminder of the risk of paying a large amount for a service long before it is actually provided.
For bridal and wedding photography packages, CASE advised consumers to carefully review the package before agreeing to buy it.
Important terms and deliverables should be confirmed in writing, while contracts, invoices and proof of payment should be kept in case a dispute later arises.
CASE also recommends negotiating for progressive payments where appropriate.
Instead of handing over the entire package price at the beginning, consumers can ask to split the amount into smaller payments as different stages of the service are completed.
Affected Korea Artiz Studio customers can approach CASE for assistance through its hotline at 6277 5100 or its website.
